Axle drive motor mounting

ABSTRACT

A motor drive for a carriage comprising a mounting plate journaled on an axle of the carriage and a reversible motor secured to said mounting plate. The motor has a direct driving connection with the axle. Resilient means are interposed between the mounting plate and an abutment on the carriage to yieldably oppose rotation of the mounting plate and absorb initial reaction shock upon the motor during reversal thereof.

United States intent Hopkins 14 1 Jan. 18, 1972 [541 AXLE DRIVE MOTORMOUNTING [72] Inventor: Richard G. Hopkins, Bennington Township, Mich.

[731 Assignee: MWA Company, Owosso, Mich. [22] Filed: Mar. 12, 1970 [21]Appl. No.: 18,908

[52] US. Cl. ..l05/l33, 51/231, 90/48 [51] Int. Cl. .3611 5/26, B24b47/02, B23d 7/10 [58] FieldoiSearch ..105/133,131,132.1,137,96.1;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,710,360 4/1929 Keil..i05/132.1 X

De Haas ..s1/231 ux Spicer ..105/132.1 ux

Primary Examiner-Joseph Wegbreit Attorney-Whittemore, Hulbert & Belknap[5 7 ABSTRACT A motor drive for a carriage comprising a mounting platejournaled on an axle of the carriage and a reversible motor secured tosaid mounting plate. The motor has a direct driving connection with theaxle. Resilient means are interposed between the mounting plate and anabutment on the carriage to yieldably oppose rotation of the mountingplate and absorb initial reaction shock upon the motor during reversalthereof.

112 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures WEET 2 UF 2 FIG.3

100 FIG.4

PATENTED JAN 1 8 m2 ATTORNEYS Axis uruva Moron Mommas SUMMARY OF THEINVENTION One object of this invention is to provide a motor drive for acarriage having means to absorb the shock reaction on the motor when itis reversed.

Another object is to provide a reversible motor assembly journaled onthe drive shaft of a carriage and having a driving connection with theshaft, and resilient means to absorb the initial shock reaction on themotor assembly when it is reversed.

Another object is to provide a reversible motor assembly including amounting plate journaled on the carriage shaft and a reversible motorsecured to the mounting plate, and resilient means interposed betweenthe mounting plate and an abutment on the carriage.

Another object is to provide resilient means for absorbing shock loadsupon motor reversal comprising an axially resilient and compressibleunit on the mounting plate.

Another object is to provide a mounting plate having a pair of spacedarms on opposite sides of a carriage abutment, and axially resilientcompressible units respectively mounted on the arms of the mountingplate.

Another object is to provide resilient means for absorbing the shockload accompanying a motor reversal comprising a pin mounted on themounting plate for axial movement to and from an extended position, anda plurality of disc springs on the pin resiliently urging the pin to itsextended position.

Another object is to provide disc springs in the form of dished washersarranged in sets, each set comprising two or more washers with thewashers of alternate sets being dished in opposite directions.

Another object is to provide a resilient spring unit in the form of asubassembly including the pin and washers as described above, and a plugsupporting the pin and sewing to mount the same on the mounting plate,the washers being disposed between the plug and the head of the pin.

Another object is to provide a resilient subassembly as described in thepreceding paragraph having a nut threaded on the pin which may be usedto pretension the washers, the nut normally being disposed in a socketin the plug of substantially the same noncircular outline as the nut butupon axial movement of the pin being displaced from the socket andaccessible for adjustment.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as thefollowing description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. I is a fragmentary front elevational view of a carriage having anaxle drive motor mounting, in accordance with my invention.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation of the carriageassembly shown in FIG. 1, as viewed from the right.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line33 in FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary view with parts broken away and in section andwith the carriage axle removed, taken substantially on the line 4-4 inFIG. 3.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the carriage isgenerally designated and may for example be provided for supporting agrinder assembly although it will be understood that the invention isnot limited to the purpose for which the carriage is used. Thus thecarriage is shown as having a base 112, a saddle l4 guided for slidingmovement on the base by guide rods 16, and a grinder assembly 118pivoted on the saddle at for up and down movement by a cylinder assembly22.

The carriage is supported for movement along tracks 23 by wheels 24keyed to axles 26 journaled for rotation in pillow blocks 28 at oppositesides of the carriage base 112. Only one such axle 26 is shown in thedrawings.

The carriage is adapted to be moved in opposite directions on the tracks23 by a reversible motor assembly 30 which has a direct drivingconnection with the axle 26. The motor assembly 36 comprises a mountingplate 32 and a reversible hydraulic motor 34. The motor 34 is driven bya pump P hav ing hydraulic lines 36 and 38 leading to opposite sides ofthe motor. A reversing valve 40 is diagrammatically shown in FIG. 11 andin the position shown, both hydraulic lines 36 and 38 are open to tank.In a second position of the valve, line 36 is open to pump pressure andline 38 returns to tank to drive the motor 34 in one direction, and inathird position of the valve the lines 36 and 38 are reversed to drivethe motor 34 in the opposite direction. A suitable motor M is providedto drive the pump 1?.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, the mounting plate 32 is journaled upon anextension 42 of axle 26, the extension being welded or otherwise securedto the end of the axle as shown in FIG. 3. The mounting plate 32 has apassage 44 therethrough provided with a large diameter inner portion 46in which the ball bearing assembly 48 is mounted. The outer race 50 ofthe ball bearing assembly is clamped in the large diameter portion 46 ofthe passage against a shoulder 52 by a circular clamping ring 54removably secured to the inner face of the mounting plate by thethreaded fasteners 56. The inner race 58 of the bearing assembly fits onthe axle extension 42 and is clamped against the shoulder 60 of the axleextension by a clamping ring 62 secured to the outer end of the axleextension by fasteners 64.

The motor 34 is removably secured to the outer face of the mountingplate. As seen in FIG. 2, the motor has the laterally extending flanges66 which are removably secured to the mounting plate by the fasteners68.

The motor has an output shaft 70 which is axially aligned with the axle26 and which extends into the passage 44 through the mounting plate andhas a driving connection with the axle extension 42. As seen in FIGS. 3and 4, the axle extension 42 has a splined central passage 72 whichreceives the splined reduced end of the output shaft 70 of the motor ina direct driving connection.

The mounting plate 32 has a slot 74 extending downwardly from the upperedge of the plate midway between the sides thereof to provide a pair oflaterally spaced arms 76 and 78. An abutment 80 mounted in fixedposition on the carriage extends into the slot 74 between the arms 76and 78. Specifically, the abutment is here shown as being in the form ofa tubular member or sleeve 82 partially received in a socket 84 in thepillow block 28 and extending horizontally outwardly therefrom betweenthe arms 76 and 78. The sleeve 82 is removably secured to the pillowblock 28 by a bolt 83 extending through the sleeve and threaded into thepillow block and having a head on the outer end for retaining thesleeve.

A spring unit is removably mounted upon each arm of the mounting plate32. Since these spring units are identical, only one will be describedand corresponding reference numerals will be applied to each.

Each spring unit'90 is a subassembly adapted for convenient mounting asa unit on the mounting plate 32. The spring unit 90 includes a pin 92having a head 94 on one end and being threaded on the opposite end. Thethreaded end of the pin passes through a central axial passage 96 in atapered threaded pipe plug 98. A plurality of centrally aperturedflexible, resilient disc springs I66 are mounted on the pin 92 betweenthe head 94 of the pin and the plug @Ili. A nut I02 is threaded on theend of pin 92 and is normally disposed in the enlarged socket 1104 inthe outer end portion of the passage 96 through plug 96. The nut W2retains the pin 92 in assembly with plug 96 and its external surface hassubstantially the same noncircular outline as the socket M4 to preventthe nut from rotating. If it is desired to pretension, or to adjust thepretensioning of, the washers ltlil, this can be done by pressing thepin 92 outwardly to withdraw the nut 1102 from socket we to make the nutaccessible for manipulation on the threaded end of the pm.

The disc springs are preferably in the form of dished washers and arearranged in the sets illlil. Each set will be seen to comprise aplurality of washers, and alternate sets are dished in oppositedirections. The spring washers are preferably formed of a high-gradespring steel and obviously resist compression under load. The number ofwashers in each set determines the strength of the spring assembly. Thusif each disc has a l-pound rating, five of them in a set would have arating of 50 pounds. The number of sets of washers in the unit 90 doesnot increase the strength of the spring assembly but it does increasethe travel in direct proportion to the number of spring sets.

it is apparent that each spring unit 90 is a subassembly which may bereadily mounted on an arm of the mounting plate. Each arm has a throughpassage 120 for receiving a spring unit, the outer end 122 of thepassage being enlarged and provided with a tapered thread to threadedlyreceive the plug 98. The spring unit is readily inserted into thepassage 120 of an arm from the outer end of the passage and the plugrotated to thread it in securely. Suitable spanner wrench slots may beprovided in plug 98 for threading it in tightly and for removing it whendesired.

As seen in FIGS. 2 and 4, the spring units 90 are aligned with oneanother, and the heads 94 of the pins 92 are disposed on opposite sidesof the abutment sleeve 82, preferably in contact therewith. Since themounting plate 32 is joumaled on axle 26, the reaction force of themotor when it drives the carriage is taken by one spring unit or theother, depending on the direction of motor rotation. When the valve 40is reversed to move the carriage in the opposite direction, it will beapparent that the motor is subjected to an initial shock load. Thisshock load however is absorbed and largely taken up by one spring unit90 or the other to reduce the level of the shock on the motor to a pointwhere it can be tolerated without damage to the motor.

If it should be desired to pretension the spring washers 100, or tochange the pretensioning thereof, this can be done by compressing thesprings to withdraw nut 102 from the socket 104 in plug 98 so that thenut may be threaded to a new position on pin 92. It is also clear thatthe spring units 90 are each readily removable and replaceable as asubassembly by merely threading the plugs 98 into or out of threadedengagement with passages 120 in the mounting plate.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a carriage assembly having a rotatable drive shaft and adapted tobe moved in one direction or the other by the rotation of said shaft, areversible motor assembly joumaled on said shaft and having a drivingconnection with said shaft, abutment means on said carriage assembly,and resilient means interposed between said motor assembly and saidabutment means opposing rotation of said motor assembly.

2. In a carriage assembly having a rotatable drive shaft and adapted tobe moved in one direction or the other by the rotation of said shaft, areversible motor assembly including a mounting plate joumaled on saidshaft and a reversible motor secured to said mounting plate and having adriving connection with said shaft, abutment means on said carriageassembly, and resilient means interposed between said mounting plate andsaid abutment means opposing rotation of said mounting plate.

3. The carriage assembly defined in claim 2, wherein said resilientmeans comprises an axially resilient and compressible unit mounted onsaid mounting plate.

4. The carriage assembly defined in claim 2, wherein said mounting platehas a pair of spaced arms respectively disposed on opposite sides ofsaid abutment means, said resilient means comprising axially resilientand compressible units respectively mounted on the arms of said mountingplate.

5. The carriage assembly defined in claim 2, wherein said resilientmeans comprises a pin mounted on said mounting plate for axial movementto and from an extended position, and a plurality of disc springs onsaid pin resiliently urging said pin to its extended position.

6. The carriage assembly defined in claim 5, wherein said disc springsare in the form of dished washers arran ed in at least two sets, eachset comprising two or more was ers and the washers of said sets beingdished in opposite directions.

7. The carriage assembly defined in claim 6, wherein said pin has a headon one end engageable with said abutment means, said washers beinginterposed between said head and an abutment fixed relative to saidmounting plate.

8. The carriage assembly defined in claim 2, wherein said resilientmeans comprises an axially resilient and compressible subassemblyremovably secured to said mounting plate and adapted to be removed andreplaced as a unit.

9. The carriage assembly defined in claim 8, wherein said subassemblycomprises a member removably secured to said mounting plate, a pinextending through said member for axial movement to and from an extendedposition, said pin having a head on one end, a plurality of dishedspring washers interposed between said head and said member, a nutthreaded on the opposite end of said pin, said nut nonnally beingdisposed in a socket in said member of the same noncircular outline assaid nut but upon axial movement of said pin away from its extendedposition said nut being displaced from said socket and accessible foradjustment to pretension or to change the pretensioning of said washers.

10. The carriage assembly defined in claim 2, wherein said mountingplate has a pair of spaced arms respectively disposed on opposite sidesof said abutment means, said resilient means comprising axiallyresilient and compressible subassemblies respectively mounted on thearms of said mounting plate, said subassemblies being removably securedto said arms and each adapted to be removed and replaced as a unit.

11. The carriage assembly defined in claim 10, wherein each subassemblycomprises a plug removably secured to said mounting plate, a pinextending through said plug for axial movement to and from an extendedposition, said pin having a head on one end engageable with saidabutment means, a plurality of disc springs on said pin between saidplug and said head resiliently urging said pin to its extended position,said disc springs being in the form of dished washers arranged in sets,each set comprising two or more washers and the washers of alternatesets being dished in opposite directions.

12. The carriage assembly defined in claim 1 I, wherein each subassemblyalso includes a nut threaded on the opposite end of the pin thereof,said nut normally being disposed in a socket in said plug of the samenoncircular outline as said nut but upon axial movement of said pin awayfrom its extended position said nut being displaced from said socket andaccessi-

1. In a carriage assembly having a rotatable drive shaft and adapted tobe moved in one direction or the other by the rotation of said shaft, areversible motor assembly journaled on said shaft and having a drivingconnection with said shaft, abutment means on said carriage assembly,and resilient means interposed between said motor assembly and saidabutment means opposing rotation of said motor assembly.
 2. In acarriage assembly having a rotatable drive shaft and adapted to be movedin one direction or the other by the rotation of said shaft, areversible motor assembly including a mounting plate journaled oN saidshaft and a reversible motor secured to said mounting plate and having adriving connection with said shaft, abutment means on said carriageassembly, and resilient means interposed between said mounting plate andsaid abutment means opposing rotation of said mounting plate.
 3. Thecarriage assembly defined in claim 2, wherein said resilient meanscomprises an axially resilient and compressible unit mounted on saidmounting plate.
 4. The carriage assembly defined in claim 2, whereinsaid mounting plate has a pair of spaced arms respectively disposed onopposite sides of said abutment means, said resilient means comprisingaxially resilient and compressible units respectively mounted on thearms of said mounting plate.
 5. The carriage assembly defined in claim2, wherein said resilient means comprises a pin mounted on said mountingplate for axial movement to and from an extended position, and aplurality of disc springs on said pin resiliently urging said pin to itsextended position.
 6. The carriage assembly defined in claim 5, whereinsaid disc springs are in the form of dished washers arranged in at leasttwo sets, each set comprising two or more washers and the washers ofsaid sets being dished in opposite directions.
 7. The carriage assemblydefined in claim 6, wherein said pin has a head on one end engageablewith said abutment means, said washers being interposed between saidhead and an abutment fixed relative to said mounting plate.
 8. Thecarriage assembly defined in claim 2, wherein said resilient meanscomprises an axially resilient and compressible subassembly removablysecured to said mounting plate and adapted to be removed and replaced asa unit.
 9. The carriage assembly defined in claim 8, wherein saidsubassembly comprises a member removably secured to said mounting plate,a pin extending through said member for axial movement to and from anextended position, said pin having a head on one end, a plurality ofdished spring washers interposed between said head and said member, anut threaded on the opposite end of said pin, said nut normally beingdisposed in a socket in said member of the same noncircular outline assaid nut but upon axial movement of said pin away from its extendedposition said nut being displaced from said socket and accessible foradjustment to pretension or to change the pretensioning of said washers.10. The carriage assembly defined in claim 2, wherein said mountingplate has a pair of spaced arms respectively disposed on opposite sidesof said abutment means, said resilient means comprising axiallyresilient and compressible subassemblies respectively mounted on thearms of said mounting plate, said subassemblies being removably securedto said arms and each adapted to be removed and replaced as a unit. 11.The carriage assembly defined in claim 10, wherein each subassemblycomprises a plug removably secured to said mounting plate, a pinextending through said plug for axial movement to and from an extendedposition, said pin having a head on one end engageable with saidabutment means, a plurality of disc springs on said pin between saidplug and said head resiliently urging said pin to its extended position,said disc springs being in the form of dished washers arranged in sets,each set comprising two or more washers and the washers of alternatesets being dished in opposite directions.
 12. The carriage assemblydefined in claim 11, wherein each subassembly also includes a nutthreaded on the opposite end of the pin thereof, said nut normally beingdisposed in a socket in said plug of the same noncircular outline assaid nut but upon axial movement of said pin away from its extendedposition said nut being displaced from said socket and accessible foradjustment to pretension or to change the pretensioning of said washers.